20 Ways to Get Your Five Portions of Fruit and Vegetables a Day

The government and many health organisations recommend that you eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day for optimum health. Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are essential for keeping your body fit and well.

However, the average adult in the UK consumes just 2.8 portions, half of the recommended amount, because many people find it a challenge to incorporate that much fresh produce in their diet. Here's 20 ways to help you reach your five a day.

1. Add some fruit to your breakfast cereal, muesli or porridge. Try a sliced banana or apple or a handful of berries.

2. Start the day with a smoothie - they're an easy way to get a couple of your portions in a delicious tasting drink.

3. Have a glass of fruit juice at breakfast, but remember no matter how much you drink it only counts as one portion.

4. Snack on a piece of fruit instead of chocolate. You'll still satisfy your sweet tooth plus the carbohydrates will give you an energy boost.

5. Cut up some crunchy vegetable such as carrots and celery into sticks and keep in the fridge to munch on when you feel hungry.

6. Baked beans on toast count towards one of your portions. Choose wholemeal toast instead of white for a healthier option.

7. Add vegetables to sandwiches - try sliced tomatoes, cucumber, pickled beetroot or crisp iceberg lettuce.

8. Dried fruit such as raisins, currants, apricots or prunes make a healthy, tasty snack.

9. Add fruit and vegetables to homemade casseroles and stews, chilis, tagines and pasta sauces.

10. It's easy to get two or three of your portions in a stir fry - the quick cooking means you'll keep most of the nutrients in.

11. Serve a side salad with your main meal. Use a mixture of seasonal vegetables for variety but go easy on fatty dressings.

12. Homemade soups can be made in batches and frozen, then defrosted as you need them. Tinned and cartoned vegetable soups count as well.

13. Vegetable kebabs and corn on the cob make great additions to a barbecue. Try barbecuing mushrooms, peppers and onions too.

14. Children love small pieces of fruit such as grapes, cherries or satsuma segments. Pack some in their lunch instead of crisps or sweets.

15. Choose healthy pizza toppings like tomato, pepper, onion, pineapple, sweetcorn and mushrooms.

16. Add some vegetable dishes to your takeaway order. Try sag aloo with an Indian or steamed pak choi with a Chinese.

17. Bake some banana bread or make a delicious carrot cake for a healthy tea time treat.

18. A fruit salad is a simple and refreshing pudding. Use seasonal fruits and serve with low-fat yoghurt or creme fraiche.

19. Add fruit to packet jellies but be careful which ones you use as the enzymes in some fruits such as pineapple will prevent your jelly from setting.

20. Feel less guilty about the meringue and cream concoction by piling plenty of fresh fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, kiwi and passion fruit onto a pavlova.

Follow these tips then you'll soon be eating your five a day and be feeling the health benefits too.

To save money and have the freshest produce you might want to try growing vegetables in your garden or on an allotment.

This article was written by the owner of Digging For Dinner.

The author is a keen gardener and cook.

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Personal Trainer reveals size portions for weight loss

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The portion size and balance of meals

To lose weight, to be successful, your approach should be to eat:

- Single
- Flexible
- Pleasant
- Sustainable

Without these elements may try to lose weight, talk to a rollercoaster ride of debt, binge eating and negative self-image.

Food should always be a pleasant experience. When you come to think of the consequences of food (for example, carbohydrates and lipids enemy prisoner, I am not allowed to eat, eat, this ismake me fat) you'll never be able to enjoy your meal. Include the portions of meals and balance is key to sustained weight loss. Once you understand this, eating, losing weight is simple, flexible, comfortable and durable.

Balanced Meals

A balanced meal contains several food groups. It should satisfy your hunger / palate and gives your body the vitamins and nutrients. It usually contains a number of portions of carbohydrates, proteins and healthyFat.

To create a balanced meal, choose one from each category of food:

1) Carbohydrates
2) Protein
3) healthy fats

Dose

1) Carbohydrates food group:

Portion of pasta or rice cooking pot should be ¼ or size of your fist.

Brown basmati rice or whole wheat pasta is low GI options (with a slow release of energy to meet your needs and reduce the insulin response of the body - high levels of insulinSignal the body to store fat).

Portion of Bread: 2 slices of regular bread. If you need the bread in a cafe / restaurant, keep portion size in mind while you eat. Food can always be left in the pot.

Portion of potatoes or starchy vegetables: potatoes reminder 1 medium (volume of Faust). Sweet potatoes, beets / carrots / parsnips, squash / pumpkin, corn and peas in this category. The options tend to be better because they have a low glycemic index carbohydrate level.

Note: Hot Chips (potato chips in particular) are not a substitute for potatoes. Hot Chips If you decide to do a small handful, eat slowly and enjoy.

pulse Serving Size: half a degree or a little 'bigger your fist. (For example, beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.):

Note: The food group has a combination of carbohydrates and proteins. If you are a vegetarian, can also be a protein.

Serving of fruit: medium-sized pieces 1-2> The fruit (eg apples, pears, peaches, etc.)

Note: When trying to lose weight, skin to choose the piece of edible fruit, have it. The skin of the fruit and adding vitamins and fiber, which keeps you dry more than satisfied with fruit leather, fruit juice or fruit. This means you are less likely to overeat or to get more food. Instead of eating as part of a meal, I recommend eating 1-2 pieces of fruit as a snack in the afternoon, as heusually a gap of six hours between lunch and dinner. Knowing this snack, you are less likely to overeat or eat unhealthy snacks at night.

non-starchy vegetables and salad: Even if it falls into the category of carbohydrates, such as decisions (spinach, broccoli / cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms, onions, herbs / garlic, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce, celery, radishes, etc.) rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber and contain a small amount of carbohydrates. lunch and ½The blocks must always be vegetables or salad, with a preference towards the green leafy variety. Another option is a small bowl and medium enterprises from home, you can add vegetables stewed vegetable or chicken broth and herbs / garlic / spices to taste. From a health perspective, it is important to give your body the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you need. Taking a point of view of weight loss of the fiber and water content in vegetables sharpness so you can eat their fill, a smallerSome of your main meal. I recommend you eat salad before vegetables /.

2) Group of dietary protein:

Portion of lean meat: the volume of the palm of his hand or a card. fish (eg, chicken, steak fat around the eyes, kangaroo, lean ham, pork or a piece of meat, little or nothing visible. Can the healthy omega-3)

Portion of eggs): 1-2 eggs. (Avoid the drippings, either by boiling or poaching eggs). Proteins can also be used to reduceFat content. However, I still like a yolk.

A part of low fat diary:

- 250 ml (cup size) of skim milk

- Low-fat cheese: 1 50grams be pre-sliced or a small handful of grated cheese.

(More cheese filling is a portion of protein. Because of the fat, keep your game, eat slowly and savor the taste).

- 1 x 250g TUP yogurt, low sugar content. example. "Yoplait Form" or TUP that the diet he said.

Note: If youdear diary milk, half of these areas.

3) healthy fats (omega - 3) - commonly found in other foods we eat.

Portion of nuts and seeds: a small hand full.Walnuts have the highest percentage of omega-3.

Some fish: size of the palm of your hand. (Bake, broil or grill the fish). The fish are mostly part of the protein. However, it is also healthy omega-3. Thefisher with the highest omega-3 fatty fish like water arecold salmon, herring, mackerel, anchoviesand sardines.

Note: every day you can eat fish could be a danger to the mercury content. For this reason, if you entered does not eat omega-3 from other dietary sources, I recommend a supplement of fish oil.

Advocate Service: ¼ -1 / 2 a lawyer. Avocado is technically a fruit, but is consumed mainly for its creamy mayonnaise and good fats (butter much better option). It fits well on a sandwich or salad.

Bread with addedFlaxseed: If you choose the bread with seeds, you can also get healthy fats.

Portion of extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed (linseed) Oil: 1 tablespoon - it can be used for cooking or seasoning.

Assembling parts

If we imagine a balanced meal on a plate should have the following declaration: 1 / 2: vegetables / salad, quarter, lean meat, 04:01: grains (bread, pasta, rice). If you regularly buy food from a coffee shop to keep in mind that the size of their shareis 2-3 times more than necessary. If you feel good food in a dish, ask for a box to take away. You can share a meal with a partner / friend. If meals are still very much on the menu salad and vegetables, eating orders a salad and a small amount of main meal. Whole wheat buns with a protein and lots of salad is another good option.

If you are too well with the correct size and serving balanced meals, food choicesunlimited. This means that you can enjoy a variety of foods and not feel private or confused by strict rules of diet. This gives you the freedom to eat happy for the rest of your life, while the ideal weight. If you want to lose weight, take only what you eat / drink for a week after the scale and size back. Eating foods you love (in their pods) to create a positive relationship with food and weight loss is simple,Soft, comfortable and durable.

The first 1-2 weeks may be necessary to experiment. Eat slowly, savor the taste of food and listen to your hunger during the meal, you learn to stop eating when it was found (a little 'room left in the stomach). You can also try combinations of foods and adjust the size of your portions until balanced meal, your palate and leave you feeling satisfied (not found in its entirety.)

Note: Part of sizesunder this article shall be used as a guide. You may need to be adjusted depending on the size of your body and activity. Palm inch and measures are useful here as your height in proportion to the hand. If you have a very active job search of work or regularly attend a long term exercise, then your portion sizes should be increased. Eat slowly and feel the hunger, during and after the meal will be your best indicator.

Good luckweight loss journey. If you need help getting started or you are unable to make progress, please contact me. I specialize in training at high intensity and help people overcome habits, behavior and mental barriers.

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